Spanish race under threat after Hamilton endures racist jeers

The Spanish grand prix in Barcelona may be removed from the formula one calendar and the promoters at the Montmelo circuit fined if there is any repeat of the racist abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton during Saturday's test session at the Spanish track.

The 23-year-old British driver was subjected to obscene taunts from the grandstand as he continued his preparations at the wheel of the new McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23 before the first grand prix of 2008, in Australia on March 16.

"The FIA is surprised and disappointed at the abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton," said a spokesman for the sport's world governing body. "Abuse of this kind is a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the FIA statutes and any repetition will result in sanctions."

He declined to elaborate, but with Spain hosting two rounds of this year's title chase, after the addition of the European grand prix in Valencia, the consequences for Spanish race fans could be serious unless they can control the extreme minority whose appalling behaviour has plagued Spanish sport, notably football, over the past few years.

The controversy erupted after Hamilton was on the receiving end of vociferous taunts from Spanish fans in the grandstands, which were packed to capacity during the three-day test at the circuit.

Initially the organisers sent security guards to the grandstands opposite the McLaren pits while team members did their best to ignore the abuse. However, after another escalation in the fans' behaviour the team asked the track officials to shut off access to that specific grandstand so that they could get on with their work undisturbed.

Reports in the Spanish media yesterday indicated that Hamilton had been jeered whenever he made his way from the team motorhome to the back of the pits on Saturday, when he posted the fastest time in the new McLaren.

The correspondent from the sports daily Marca said that shouts of "puto negro" (black whore) and "negro de mierda" (black shit) had been clearly heard and that large sections of the crowd had been involved.

Indy Lall, the McLaren test team manager, was appalled by the behaviour. "It is not right the way he [Hamilton] is being treated," Lall was quoted as saying.

Despite this the McLaren team are intent on defusing the episode, which insiders say reflects Spanish fans' view that Hamilton drove their hero Fernando Alonso from the team after only one season, during which they often clashed.

"McLaren has raced and tested on Spanish circuits for many years and everyone connected with the team regard Spain and the Spanish people with genuine affection, Lewis included," said a team spokesman.

The conciliatory tone also acknowledges that the team's hugely popular test driver Pedro de la Rosa is Spanish and was passed over for promotion to the race team after Alonso's departure in favour of Heikki Kovalainen despite McLaren being petitioned by thousands of Spanish fans who wanted the 36-year-old to get the job.

Marca also reported that the circuit director, Ramón Praderas, had asked for fences to be put up around the McLaren paddock and ordered the removal of offensive banners that had been put up along the spectator fences immediately opposite the English team's pit.

The daily newspaper La Vanguardia also said that Praderas had reminded fans of their obligations at the venue. "We would like to make a plea to the fans to behave correctly. No type of offensive behaviour can be tolerated," he said.